


Follow Me Down

by whump_tr0pes



Series: David & Nia [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst, F/M, Gunshot Wounds, Hospitalization, Mission Fic, Missions Gone Wrong, Original Character(s), Torture, Whump, Whump Without Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-19 12:34:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20657327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whump_tr0pes/pseuds/whump_tr0pes
Summary: If David and Nia can pull off this mission, David will be pulled off his probationary status and reinstated as part of the team. Trouble is, missions are never simple for them.





	1. Attempting Redemption

Her heart pounded along with her feet as she jogged down the hall. One chance to get in, one chance to pull the mission off. One chance to get out.

A thousand chances to die.

She could almost feel David’s presence elsewhere in the building. The instructions had been simple. Their mission was to infiltrate the building that housed the server of the now-dead terrorist Graylan’s computer system and find some way to disable it. Ideally, they would plant a drive that would infiltrate the system to help the agency spy on and take down Graylan’s remaining terror cell. After his death, his lieutenants had been able to carry on his dealings simply by accessing the system for contacts and money and continuing operations almost as if nothing had happened. She and David had decided to make a game of it: they would each take a separate route to the computer and the first person there owed the other a beer or three. So far, so good.

If they succeeded, David would be released from his probationary status and reinstated to the team as a full member. After the failure of the last mission, an internal inquiry had been launched. David’s name had been cleared as soon as they had debriefed Nia, but he still had to earn his way back into the leadership’s trust. He had saved Nia’s life, but the higher-ups were less forgiving for such an egregious breach of protocol.

“I’m passing the third corridor,” she whispered into the mic at her shoulder.

“You don’t have to update me every time you pass a hallway, Nia. I’m going to win,” came the reply.

She peeked again at the map printed on the inside of her cuff. Almost there. One, maybe two minutes. Then plant the drive and get out. Easy. Simple.

_Fuck._

The full weight of a man wearing body armor barreled into her. Nia was dragged to the ground. Her weapon was wrestled away from her as she heard the snap of handcuffs on her wrists.

A hand grasped her hair and yanked her head back and she cried out wordlessly. She didn’t dare try to radio David for help. They couldn’t know he was here. He couldn’t die, too. _One of us_ has _to live. One of us_ has _to succeed. _

At the moment, all signs pointed to David as the one who would survive the mission.

A fist smashed across her face. She sagged, her knees buckling with the sudden dizziness and disorientation. A rough hand grabbed her by the collar and jerked her upright. A headache exploded through her skull, sending searing stabs of pain through her eyes.

“_Where’s Lee_?” an angry voice demanded. “I know he’s here with you. Where is he? _Where is David Lee_?” The man pressed a pistol against her forehead. “Tell me, or I’ll blow your fucking head off!”

Delirious from the pain, she had to smile, cracking her split lip farther and sending another stream of blood down her chin. “Good luck figuring out where he is if my head’s missing.”

A fist smashed against her stomach, driving out a grunt of pain. She fell to her knees, gagging and spitting out blood. The taste made her sudden nausea worse.

Someone behind her jerked her arms up, twisting the joints. She screamed and forced herself to stand.

“Carson, Peters, you get her. Be careful, she’s a real bitch when she wants to be. Let’s move.”

She thought she heard five guys, at the absolute least. Even when she had her hands free and she was uninjured, beating five strong men would have been difficult. In her current predicament, it was impossible.

She was herded down the hall she had been running down, bleeding and handcuffed. She had no idea what their plan was, but she knew it wouldn’t be quick and it _certainly_ wouldn’t be painless.

She remembered the last time she had been captured. She had been tortured and shot as leverage against David and their agency. The doctor had said it would take her six months before she could walk without a cane. She had done it in four and a half.

She moved by a light in a passing room and saw her captors’ faces for the first time. She recognized most of them. They had all been there when she had been captured. She guessed they were the ones that survived the fire she had caused.

“I know you,” she whispered, blood trickling down her lips.

“Gag her,” came the rapid order.

Someone gagged her with a cloth. She tasted sweat.

Another turn. They were headed for the server room, where David would certainly be waiting. One of them or both of them would die.

_Not David._

She let out a scream, hoping David would hear and know to stay away. A heavy hand clamped over her mouth and nose. She couldn’t breathe.

She tried to rip herself out of her captor’s grasp, tried desperately to twist and somehow breathe. Her back arched as her lungs screamed for air. Very quickly, her struggles grew weak and clumsy. She sagged, unable to fight. The hand came away, and she dragged in air around the gag.

_I must not be allowed to die_, she remembered. She was of more use to them alive than in a body bag.

They reached the server room. All the men surrounding her drew their weapons. One bullet, and David would die. One more, she would.

The lights were off. She had no idea if David was already there. Or if he hadn’t gotten there yet. Or if he’d already gone. She prayed for the last option.

The lights blazed on. She realized she was all but hidden behind a wall of the men left of Graylan’s army.

“David Lee,” the man’s voice announced loudly.

David’s voice answered. “Sorry, got the wrong guy. Who are you?”

The man laughed. “You know who I am, as much as you know where you are right now. Lay down your weapon and put your hands on your head. You can’t shoot your way out of this.”

“Then I guess I better shoot you in the fucking head,” David said through gritted teeth.

“I don’t think that’s what your partner would suggest.”

“Fuck you,” David hissed. “Nia is miles away by now. With any luck, she’s got reinforcements on their way here now. I probably don’t even have time to kill you all before they get here.”

“Wrong.” The man grabbed Nia from behind him and kicked her in the back of her leg, forcing her to her knees in front of David.

David lowered his weapon as he stared at her. “Nia.” Defeat was heavy in his voice.

The man spoke again. “Step away from the computer, David. Step away or –“ He made a sign ordering one of his men forward. He approached her and kicked her in the back, sending her sprawling onto her belly. The gag fell out of her mouth. He grabbed her handcuffs with one hand and knelt, bracing his knee between her shoulder blades and yanking her arms up behind her. She cried out, a reflex. She didn’t mean to do it. She didn’t mean to do anything that would cause David to abandon the mission. A gun pressed against the base of her neck.

“—or,” completed the man, “you watch your partner die.”

David’s mouth was a hard line. His eyes flicked between her and the man speaking.

“Do it, David,” she said. “Just shut it down now.” The weight on her back increased and she cried out again. “Do it!” she groaned. “After they kill me they won’t have any more leverage. Do it. Now, David.”

There was one long moment. Then, with resignation, David dropped his gun. “I won’t let her die.”

The small army moved in quickly and threw him to his knees. The men cuffed his hands in front of him. Once he was cuffed, they yanked him to his feet and dragged him to where she was lying on the ground.

The men wrenched her up. The butt of a rifle punched her in the stomach. “Move,” came the order.

They moved.


	2. Draw the Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David and Nia have been captured by terrorists during a mission. There's not much chance of escape, but Nia would do anything to keep David safe.

“Why, David?” she pleaded as they walked. “You could have stopped the terror cell. One human casualty…that’s all it would have taken…”

“Stop,” David said. “You’re asking me why I didn’t kill you.”

“The way I see it, that’s a small price for stopping the cell.”

“Nobody asked the way you see it,” David hurled the words at her. “This is _your life_ we’re talking about here. Do you understand that?”

Nia looked straight ahead. “I know what we’re talking about.”

They reached the doors to the outside and were forced to their knees again. The terrorists stripped them both of all their equipment: their radios, their weapons, even their vests. It was all left in a pile by the doors. They were pulled to their feet and marched to a van. One of the men forced Nia into the van and kicked her to the floor. They threw David in after her, but he was able to stay on his feet. He lowered his body protectively over her. The rest of the men climbed in and closed the doors. A light came on overhead.

Nia crawled to the corner on her knees and pressed herself into the wall of the van. David moved in behind her and braced himself against the walls, placing himself between Nia and the terrorists.

Nia whimpered. “They’re going to kill us,” she whispered. “Why did you give yourself to them? Please, David.”

He looked at her, eyes filled with sorrow and fear. “I know what they’ll do to us,” he said.

“Then why…”

“I’m sorry, Nia,” he whispered with trembling lips. “I can’t betray you again.”

They were jostled as they sped over bumps. Nia leaned against the wall of the van, moving as little as possible. Her head wound was beginning to clot but a headache still pounded through her skull. David leaned on her shoulder and moved so his torso was blocking more of her from the view of the other men in the van. Protecting her. She was touched by his attempts but once they got to wherever they were going, it would not matter anymore. Nia knew they were going to be killed. Nothing would change that now. She hoped the GPS trackers in their watches were still working, sending info back to headquarters. But even if they were, backup was too far away to make a difference.

Nia was suddenly gripped by fits of shivering. She huddled against David, leaning her head on his chest. Blood soaked into his shirt. She felt his cheek rest against the top of her head. She soaked in his body heat, feeling comforted with his closeness. She barely noticed the guns pointed at them.

After several more minutes of driving, they came to a stop. The back of the van opened and one by one the terrorists jumped out until there were two left. One grabbed David and shoved him to the ground. The man who had spoken before drew his sidearm and pointed it at the back of David’s head.

“No. Not David.” The words punched out of her. “Please. Not David!” The words hurt as they came out, ripping a part of her with them. _Not David. _Anyone_ but David. Me. Kill me, not David._

She figured the man meant to drag her out of the van too, but she was already out. Every man there drew their weapons and pointed them at her, shouting at her to back away from David. She barely heard them. She was saving David’s life, no matter how many people died as a result. Including her.

David leapt to his feet as she approached. She drew close to him, wishing she could throw her arms around him. She kissed him hard. Only one thing was important. _Save David, no matter the cost_.

She brought her lips to his ear and whispered, “I’ll draw the fire. Run.”

Before he could respond, a hand grabbed her shoulder. She spun around and drove her knee into the man.

Without hesitation, she ran. Bullets whizzed over her head and all around her. She hoped to god David was running, using the distraction to break free. She didn’t dare look back.

A bullet tore through her leg just below the knee. She stumbled and fell but realized her leg didn’t feel shattered. She was grateful for that.

An unchecked scream came from the direction of the van. “Nia! _No!_” She dragged herself on. _Keep shooting at me._

Another bullet drove into her back. Blood spattered the ground beneath her. She couldn’t feel where the bullet was now, but she was almost sure the wound was fatal. She gasped raggedly. _A part of my lung gone_, she thought. But she couldn’t help but feel satisfied. As long as David focused on escaping, he could save himself. As long as they were shooting at her, they weren’t shooting at David.

She glanced behind her. She watched as David grabbed a machine gun as it aimed for his chest and ripped it away from the terrorist holding it. Within seconds, the terrorists were dead. He dropped the weapon and ran to where she had fallen.

“Nia, please get up,” his voice said urgently. “Nia, please. Come on, we have to move. It’s not safe here.”

He rolled her onto her back. Her breath spilled out of her and she couldn’t find the strength to refill her lungs. Her hands balled into fists beneath her and she pulled at the handcuffs, panicking. She tried to find the muscles to inflate her lungs, but her chest was crushed with pain. The minimal gasp she was able to draw in was not enough.

“Nia,” David gasped. He lowered his mouth to hers and breathed as he pinched her nostrils shut. Agonizing relief swept through her as the oxygen reached her blood and her lung moved around the bullet still lodged inside. He waited until her chest fell and then, another lungful. Her blood was on his lips. David breathed for her again and again, keeping the air moving because she could not.

David reached under Nia and grasped the handcuffs still tight on her wrists. He guided them under her back and around her hips, past her legs, bringing her hands in front of her. He pulled her arms over his head and, with his hands still cuffed too, grabbed her belt with both hands. He held her tightly to him and pulled her up off the pavement. Then he started walking, her weight pulling down on her wrists in the cuffs. Again and again, he did his best to breathe for her as he dragged them both to safety.

“Stay with me, Nia.” He sobbed between breaths. “Please. Stay with me.”

Her head fell back as her blood dripped off her face and onto the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is it with my thing for blood? XD


	3. Don't want to risk you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somehow, David managed to get Nia to safety. He wants to keep her there.

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

_What is that sound?_

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

_Is that my blood? Blood spilling on pavement?_

It was the last thing she remembered.

_So much blood. Pain._

_Can’t breathe. _

_David. _

Light pierced her eyes. She blinked slowly, letting aspects of the room materialize as she focused. Her eyes wandered over the ceiling, the window with its blinds shut, the telemetry machines recording her vital signs, the couch in the far corner. Her eyes focused on the man asleep in the chair next to her, his upper body draped over her bed.

_David. _

Her lips parted, and she pushed air out to speak.

_Pain._

David heard whatever strangled cry she had made and immediately opened his eyes.

Thoughts swirled through her head without connection or meaning, each breath sending stabbing reality through her.

_David._

_Pain._

_David._

_Pain._

_David. Always David._

He lifted a hand and held it to her face. She saw him clearly for the first time and noticed his eyes were red. Salt stains marked his cheeks. He had been crying.

“Nia.” His voice was broken and unsteady. “My Nia.”

She drew a painful breath. “What. Happened.”

His face broke. “I tried to resuscitate you in the alley,” he whispered, his eyes far away as he relived the moment. “I tried to help you. But my trauma kit was in my vest, and that was back where…he…” He swallowed hard. “I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t seal your chest wound, I couldn’t dart your chest, I couldn’t do anything. I didn’t even know where we were. I didn’t know how to get back to my equipment. I didn’t even have my sat phone.” He grasped Nia’s hand and closed his eyes. “The team knew something was wrong when our vest trackers stayed in one place and our watches moved. They sent in the exfil team and thankfully they got to us fast. But you – ” The tears started again. “You were bleeding out into your chest and I couldn’t help you. We rerouted to the nearest trauma center. That’s where we are right now. You…” For a moment, he was unable to speak. “They lost pulses on you during surgery. They pushed eight bags of blood. Everyone thought you weren’t going to…” He covered his face in his hands. “They told me to say goodbye to you because…”

He broke down. His body heaved with sobs as he pressed his face into the bed. With difficulty she moved her hands to his face and stroked his hair. He grasped her hands, weeping loudly.

“Nia,” he cried, “please, _never_ do that again! Please. I thought I’d… I thought you… Nia…please…”

“Shh,” she whispered, trying to soothe him. “I’m alive, David. Please. You saved me. I’m alright. Please don’t…”

He raised his head, his eyes red and puffy. “Why did you do it?”

Her lips pressed into a line. “They would have killed us. They were going to…to _kill_ you, David. I was trying to save you. I wanted to make it so one of us would live. I wanted it to be you.”

He blinked slowly, comprehending. “You mean…you didn’t think you would survive?”

She paused for a moment. “No, David. And that was ok with me. I will always choose for you to live.”

He pressed her hands to his face. “No. No, Nia…no… Please. I can’t…”

She weakly pulled his face up so she could see his eyes. “I can’t let you die.”

“And _I_ can’t let _you_ die.”

She sighed. “Around and around we go. It’s done now.”

David gently lowered himself to the bed and held her to him. “I will never let anything like that happen to you again.

“You didn’t let it happen. I did it myself.” She swallowed hard. “What’s the prognosis? What did the doctor have to reconstruct this time?” She tried to force a laugh to lighten the mood. It came out twisted and raw.

David sighed as he sat up. “Your fibula is broken, but they placed pins in it and repaired the damage around that. Missed your tibia, thank god. Your leg is pretty much intact. You got very lucky there. But your lung…” His eyes glazed over. “The bullet ricocheted off your ribs and pierced your lung twice. It was still lodged when we got you here and they had to go remove it. They started a chest tube on the helicopter but you still had a pretty bad hemopneumo when we got here. They repaired a tear in your diaphragm and a liver lac. That’s partially why you…why you needed so much blood.”

“Great.”

“That’s not great.”

Nia glared at him playfully, trying still to ease the tension between them. “You know what I meant. What’s my recovery time?”

“Doc says you can walk without a brace in about 12 weeks. Back to normal will probably take 4-6 months. The liver lac was bad and they still don’t know how your lung is going to recover.”

“When can I go back on missions?”

David’s face grew even more serious. “Team lead is getting kinda tired of you having to be patched up after every mission. This isn’t something you just give your body to. You need to be careful, Nia. One of these days you may not be as lucky as you have been. You…may…” His face spasmed with pain. “Please, Nia. This is your life. You can’t be so reckless with it.”

“What do you mean?” Nia’s voice rose in pitch. “Are they gonna take me off the team?”

A noise caught in David’s throat.

She started to panic. “They only send us on the missions no one else can do! Everyone else would die, but we don’t! Sometimes we fail, but we make things happen! They have to put me back on the team!”

David’s jaw clenched as he leaned away from her. “They aren’t taking you off the team.”

She heaved a painful sigh of relief.

“…although I asked them to.”

Nia blinked. “What?”

Through his teeth he said, “I asked them to pull you.”

“How could you do that! What did they say?” Nia’s chest ached with each word.

“They said the same thing you did. That they can’t afford to pull you from the field because despite the fact that your medical bills require their own case worker, we have the highest success rate of any other team and it would be a detriment to pull you.” His eyes burned with anger. “Apparently your life is worth far less to them than it is to me.”

“How can you say that?” Nia stared at him, hurt. “How could you ask them to pull me?”

David turned his eyes to her, desperate. “Because I can’t watch you die. I can’t. This is a dangerous business and you keep ending up in the crosshairs of people who will kill you to get what they want. You keep putting yourself in danger, again and again, and I can’t save you.”

Nia took David’s hand. “I only risk my life because I’m trying to save yours.”

“I can take care of myself.”

She squeezed. “I know. But there’s no way I can avoid danger to put you at risk. I can’t watch you die either, David. You have to live. I don’t know what I would do if you died and there was something I could have done or sacrificed to save you.”

“Dammit, Nia, bullets _kill_ people,” David insisted. “I think you know as well as I do that they will never pull you from the team while you can still do missions. You are going to _die_ with this team, Nia. You know that, right?”

Nia pressed her lips together. “I’ll be more careful if you promise to stay out of danger.”

“I will if you do,” he replied.

“Fine.”

“Please,” he said, drawing close and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Please. I love you, Nia.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think the next one I'll write is when it gets really violent for these two. I hope you've enjoyed being with them so far!

**Author's Note:**

> David, you wonderful idiot. The next part goes about as well as you imagine.


End file.
